Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor G. William Ward as he celebrates his 90th birthday on May 6, 2021. For decades, Mr. Ward has been a pillar of our Blair County community.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Ward became the President of Ward Transportation and Logistics Company in 1966. Within three years, Mr. Ward expanded the company to more than 500 employees.

Under his leadership, Ward Transportation and Logistics flourished, expanding to new locations across the Mid-Atlantic region. Mr. Ward's hard work to build his business has been invaluable to the growth and economic success of our community.

Throughout his life, Mr. Ward has devoted his time and talents to serving his family, our nation, and our community. He married his wife Carolyn (Williams) in 1953, and they celebrated 64 years of marriage before her death in 2017. Mr. Ward has five children, 12 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He has been a dedicated member of our community, serving on many statewide and local boards and civic organizations.

On behalf of the 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, it is my privilege to recognize G. William Ward for his outstanding service to our neighbors and our nation. As he celebrates this milestone, I wish my friend a very happy 90th birthday, as well as continued health and happiness.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of my friend John Francis Gority, who passed away on April 12, at the age of 74.

Throughout his life, John devoted himself to our nation and our community. A veteran of the Vietnam War, John was awarded a purple heart after being wounded in the line of duty. After returning home to Blair County, John worked tirelessly to serve local veterans. In addition to serving as Post Commander of the Altoona Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 3, John was also a member of Catholic War Veterans, the American Legion's Gallitzin Chapter, and Disabled American Veterans.

A 1965 graduate of Bishop Guilfoyle High School, John continued his education at Penn State University, where he studied business administration. As a businessman, he owned and operated Broadway Sharpening and Gority Cabinetry for more than 30 years.

John was a staple of the Blair County Community. In addition to his work with local veterans, John also served as a leader of the Blair County Historical Society, Open Doors for the Handicapped, Eastern Amputee Golf Association, Fire Base Eagle, and Bravo Company.

As a community leader, John Francis Gority exemplified a life of service to our nation and to his neighbors. On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, it is my privilege to honor John for his many contributions. I extend my deepest condolences to John's devoted wife Donna, their two daughters, and four grandchildren as they mourn this great loss.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Kasey Meredith of Johnstown, Pennsylvania as she is named the Cadet First Captain and Regimental Commander of the Virginia Military Institute's Corps

of Cadets. A trailblazer, Cadet Meredith will be the first woman to hold the position in the Institute's 181-year history.

As Regimental Commander, Cadet Meredith will oversee the training, discipline, fitness, and morale of the Corps. She currently is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Officers Training Program. Upon her graduation and successful completion of the program, Cadet Meredith will receive her commission as a Second Lieutenant of Marines.

Cadet Kasey Meredith's selection as Regimental Commander is a testament to her strong academic performance, determination, and leadership. On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, it is my privilege to recognize outstanding Pennsylvanians as they answer the call to serve our nation. I proudly congratulate Cadet Meredith on earning this well-deserved position and wish her every continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of my friend Nancy Hicks Sheetz of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, who passed away on April 16.

Nancy Hicks Sheetz was an incredible community leader whose dedication defined our

region's art and culture landscape. As a lifelong supporter of the theater community, Nancy worked tirelessly to advocate for the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. She was an outstanding artist, actress, and musician who used her talents to bless others.

A lifelong Blair County resident, Nancy was born on July 9, 1935 in East Freedom and attended Altoona High School, where she was elected president of her class and graduated in 1953. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose compassion and care for her family was evident to everyone she met. In addition to her artistic pursuits, Nancy served the Altoona community as a member of the Blair County Historical Society. We also shared a love of gardening.

On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, it is my privilege to celebrate the life of Nancy Hicks Sheetz and honor her legacy. She leaves a profound void in the community that I share alongside all who knew her. As we remember Nancy for her many contributions to Blair County and our commonwealth, I extend my deepest condolences to the Sheetz family.

Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Rebecca Wright, a student at Windber Area High School, on being crowned the 74th Maple Queen at the Pennsylvania Maple Festival.

A pianist, Rebecca earned accolades at the competition for her performance of ``Midnight Rhapsody,'' including the Anna Ruth Thomas Memorial Talent Award. She also won the Promenade Award and the Interview Award.

As the Maple Queen, Rebecca will represent Somerset County's robust maple industry. Since 1947, the Pennsylvania Maple Festival has been hosted by maple producers from across the region to showcase maple production.

On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate Rebecca and her family on this incredible achievement. As Rebecca commences her service as Maple Queen, I wish her every continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2630, to extend the temporary emergency scheduling of fentanyl analogues.

In the rural Pennsylvania communities that I represent, the fentanyl crisis is anything but temporary. Every day, we experience the ramifications of the opioid epidemic, which has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the Franklin County coroner, Jeff Connor, told me just this week, ``Fentanyl is easy to get and fast to kill.''

This is true across our entire Commonwealth. In my home of Blair County, we suffered an 80 percent increase in overdose deaths in 2020. As I have heard directly from our county coroner, Patty Ross, there is no question that the widespread availability of illicit fentanyl is a substantial factor in our region's drug epidemic.

Fentanyl already poses a deadly threat to our communities. If we don't act to extend the fentanyl import ban before it expires next month, we will invite massive vulnerabilities in our shared fight against the opioid crisis. In Pennsylvania and around the country, we need more accountability for those who bring illicit fentanyl into our communities.

H.R. 2630 is lifesaving legislation that will give law enforcement and the justice system the tools that they need to keep this dangerous illicit drug off of our streets. This temporary fix needs to be the bridge to a permanent solution to protect the American people. We do not have time to waste. By passing this bipartisan legislation, we can protect families, equip those on the front line, and prevent tragedy.

For the health and safety of our communities, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Madam Speaker, as the son of a civil engineer, I was raised with an understanding of the value of infrastructure that serves people and benefits communities. My commitment to infrastructure has spanned decades. As a young man, I put shovel to the road for the construction of highways and bridges; and now, today, I advocate for infrastructure improvements in Congress.

As we know all too well in rural Pennsylvania, infrastructure has real-life consequences for communities. At its core, improving roads, bridges, and other key infrastructure should be a commonsense, bipartisan priority. Failing infrastructure does not discriminate. A broken bridge can harm Democrats just as it can harm Republicans.

Unfortunately, the so-called infrastructure reform put forth by President Biden fails to take seriously the challenges that we are currently facing in Pennsylvania and around the entire country. In the rural district that I represent, we know the importance of true infrastructure. We need to make our roadways and bridges safer, we need to improve our transportation systems, and we desperately need to deploy reliable internet to those lacking access to broadband. This is what true infrastructure is. But, unfortunately, that is not the Biden plan.

Let's look at the facts. In President Biden's infrastructure plan, less than 6 percent would go to roads and bridges; less than 2 percent would go to waterways, locks, dams, ports, and airports; and less than 5 percent, unfortunately, would go to broadband.

With $600 billion devoted to the Green New Deal, this has never been about infrastructure. In Pennsylvania, the extreme policies championed in the Biden plan will crush our vital manufacturing and energy industries. This plan prioritizes the progressive agenda over the needs of the American workers and small businesses.

In the name of infrastructure, Democrats want to kill jobs, raise taxes, burden families, and stunt our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, I ask a very simple question: Is it worth it?

As we seek to define infrastructure and consider improvements to our Nation's fundamental infrastructure needs, I urge all of my colleagues to dispense with the political games. We need roads, bridges, and reliable internet. We do not need the Green New Deal. Stop calling this infrastructure. Stop hiding progressive policies in trojan horses. Stop trying to trick the American people.

While I stand ready to work with the President and House Democrats on what is true infrastructure reform, this plan is further evidence that the Biden-Harris administration are more happy to push their radical agenda at the expense of hardworking Americans.

Instead of propelling these radical policies, this could be a good- faith opportunity to deliver results for the American people. If we work together, we can get this job done. From deploying rural broadband to sustaining our basic roads, we must bridge this divide.

Mr. Speaker, the Second Amendment is a fundamental piece of the U.S. Constitution. The right to keep and bear arms is one of Americans' inalienable freedoms. This has been true for centuries, and despite what the White House would like you to think, this is still true.

Right now, the left is advancing unprecedented threats to Americans' Second Amendment rights. Just last week, the President rolled out two executive orders that would restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens. The President proudly announced that he is willing to undercut our core constitutional liberties. With his pen and, I might add, without Congress, the President can singlehandedly unravel our rights.

Mr. Speaker, I fear that we are embarking on a perilous path. Now, more than ever, we must recommit to protecting this vital freedom.

Instead of stripping away Americans' constitutional rights, the U.S. Government should be focused on enforcing law and order. Instead of stripping away Americans' constitutional rights, the U.S. Government should be focused on securing our southern border. Instead of stripping away Americans' constitutional rights, the U.S. Government should be focused on protecting our citizens from gang violence, stopping human trafficking, and stopping the illicit drugs that cross our porous southern border.

The President is correct that we have a public health crisis. We have a public health crisis on the southern border. While the Commander in Chief spends time plotting ways to subvert the U.S. Constitution, the brave men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection are encountering record numbers of migrants attempting to cross the border unlawfully.

Last month alone, border agents encountered more than 170,000 migrants, a colossal 400 percent increase from the same time last year. Yes, this is indeed a crisis. But the problem is not with the law- abiding citizens. The problem is not with the Second Amendment.

Here in Washington, our leaders need to get their priorities in order. We need to uphold our oath to defend the U.S. Constitution. We need to defend the American people from foreign threats. And we need to protect our fundamental freedoms.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and memory of Somerset County Sheriff Brad Cramer, who passed away on April 3, 2021. As a public servant, Sheriff Cramer worked tirelessly to protect and serve the residents of Somerset County.

Sheriff Cramer spent four decades as a law enforcement officer. He served for 30 years with the Somerset Borough Police Department, including six years as the Borough's Police Chief. He went on to serve the Conemaugh Township Police Department for four years and afterwards, he joined the Somerset County Sheriffs Department as a deputy prior to being elected Sheriff in 2015.

His presence and leadership will be missed by the people he served over his career. I am grateful for the service of Sheriff Cramer and on behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District I wish his family and friends comfort during this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Cookies for Caregivers on winning the Special Merit Award from the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce. The award is given to an organization that demonstrates outstanding achievement in the community.

Cookies for Caregivers is a national program that was established by Huntingdon residents in April 2020. The groups founders, Scott McKenzie and Jeremy Uhrich, began baking cookies for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. What started a local community service project has transformed into a national movement. With more than 100 bakers joining the group, Cookies for Caregivers has made more than 10,000 cookies to share with essential workers.

It is my privilege to recognize Scott and Jeremy for their leadership and ingenuity through the development of Cookies for Caregivers. This is a remarkable service to our community and beyond, and I wish them continued success in their efforts.

Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate the leaders and staff of Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center for receiving the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval.

The Gold Seal of Approval recognizes the hard work that the team at Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center does every day to serve the people of southern Somerset County. The center provides outstanding treatment and care to all patients. The Joint Commission's Gold Seal is a testament to their outstanding work, and I am grateful for their service to our community.

To receive the accreditation, Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center was evaluated during a spontaneous, unannounced review late last year. Surveyors from the Joint Commission evaluated the staff's performance in a variety of areas.

On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate the entire team at Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center on this well-deserved award. I am grateful for their work and commitment to providing outstanding medical care to the people of Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Huntingdon Rotary Club on winning the Preservation Award from the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce. The award is given to a deserving group that restores, preserves and rehabilitates buildings and architecture to retain their historic character.

The Huntingdon Rotary Club has worked tirelessly to preserve the 1850 Pennsylvania Railroad Stone Arch Bridge located in the Huntingdon Borough. The multi-span stone bridge was once used by the first steam- powered train in Huntingdon. The club's preservation efforts included removing overgrown vegetation, adding a sign to memorialize the significance of the bridge, and beautifying the historic architecture.

The Huntingdon Rotary Club's dedication to preserving the community and its history is an important part of our community. I congratulate the club members on receiving this well-earned award and wish them continued success in their efforts.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Huntingdon County History and Heritage Roundtable on winning the Community Spirit Award from the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes an organization that has made significant contributions to Huntingdon County through community development.

The Huntingdon County History and Heritage Roundtable encompass representatives from various historical organizations throughout the county. Despite challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, this group continued to provide engaging online events for community members and sought to share the rich history of Huntingdon County.

The Huntingdon County History and Heritage Roundtable's collaboration and community outreach is an important part of our community. I congratulate the members on receiving this well-earned recognition and wish them continued success in their efforts to showcase our region.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Juniata Brewing Company on winning the New Construction Award, which showcases excellence in development, from the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce.

The Juniata Brewing Company opened its doors in March 2020 and faced numerous challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Overcoming these obstacles, the Juniata Brewing Company team adapted their business to provide curbside growler pick up and offered delivery services within the community

The Juniata Brewing Company seeks to enrich the community and expand our region's craft brewing industry. Small businesses such as the Juniata Brewing Company are a staple of our community. Congratulations to the team for persevering through unprecedented challenges, and I wish them continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reporter Mike Mastovich on being named CNHI LLC's 2020 top sportswriter in CNHI's Division I. Mike has been with the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat since 1986 and has covered the Johnstown sports community for over 35 years.

Throughout his career, Mike has told important stories for the Johnstown community--from record-setting coaching achievements at UPJ to Johnstown's professional hockey journey and countless high school sports milestones. Mike is at the center of our region's sports history and is a treasured member of this community.

On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, it is my privilege to congratulate Mike Mastovich on this outstanding achievement and wish him continued success.